Manchester United reaches an agreement with Cheltenham for Matej Kovar
According to @JonPalmerSport on Twitter (h/t Manchester Evening News), Manchester United youngster Matej Kovar will go on loan to Cheltenham Town of the English Football League.
The 22-year-old Kovar, who is still on the Reds’ preseason tour, will join the League One team on Monday, July 25.
The Under-21 international from the Czech Republic joining the Robins will make him available for the season’s first match, which is at home against newly relegated Peterborough United.
In order to establish himself as the club’s top player at Whaddon Road, Kovar will be relying on his prior Football League loan experience.
Kovar has previously played in the third tier of English football at Swindon Town and Burton Albion, making 24 League One appearances across his two loan spells.
In his six league appearances under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s Brewers last season, the Czech stopper registered four consecutive clean sheets.
Kovar joined United from 1.FC Slovácko in 2018 and his contract with the Red Devils runs until 2023, with the option of an additional year.
Erik ten Hag may need to look for a backup goalkeeper during the current transfer window given that Dean Henderson has already joined Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan and Nathan Bishop is poised to leave Manchester United on a temporary basis.
If Bishop also leaves, Tom Heaton would be United’s only other senior backup option to David de Gea. With Kovar now set to leave, it’s clear he still isn’t at that level which is required to be a regular for our senior team.
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It remains to be seen what the Dutch manager decides regarding the backup option for Manchester United’s goalkeeper spot.